Lexical Summary yabesh: dried, dry, wither Original Word: יָבֵשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be ashamed, clean, be confounded, make dry up, do shamefully, utterly, wither away A primitive root; to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither (as herbage) -- be ashamed, clean, be confounded, (make) dry (up), (do) shame(-fully), X utterly, wither (away). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be dry, dried up, or withered NASB Translation become dry (1), completely wither (1), dried (18), dries (5), dry (11), make her dry (1), make your dry (1), makes it dry (1), totally withered (1), wither (7), withered (5), withers (6). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. יָבֵשׁ verb be dry, dried up, withered (Late Hebrew id. (rare), ᵑ7 יְבֵישׁ, chiefly Pa`al, Ithpe`el, Syriac  ; Sabean, Palmyrene derivatives; Arabic  ; Ethiopic  ) — Qal Perfect3masculine singular יָבֵשׁ Joshua 9:5 8t.; וְיָבֵשׁ consecutive Isaiah 19:5+ 4 t.; 3 feminine singular יָבְשָׁה Genesis 8:14; 3plural יָבְשׁוּ Jeremiah 23:10 2t.; יָבֵ֑שׁוּ Jeremiah 50:38 2t.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִבַשׁ Isaiah 19:7; יִיבָ֑שׁ Jeremiah 12:4; Job 8:12; וַיִּיבַשׁ 1 Kings 17:7; וַיִּיבָ֑שׁ Jonah 4:7; 3feminine singular תִּיבַשׁ Ezekiel 17:10; תִּיבָ֑שׁ Ezekiel 17:10 3t., etc.; Infinitive construct (בִּ)יבשׁ Isaiah 27:11; יְבשֶׁת Genesis 8:7; absolute יָבוֺשׁ Zechariah 11:17; יָבשׁ Eccl 17:10; — 1 be dry, dried up without moisture: a. of bread Joshua 9:5,12 (JE). b. of ground lacking rain Amos 4:7, compare Amos 1:2 (of Carmel at utterance of ׳יs voice), Jeremiah 23:10. c. of earth after the flood Genesis 8:14 (P), compare חָרֵב d. of grass, herbage, trees and crops (already implied in b. = wither Isaiah 15:6; Isaiah 19:7; Isaiah 27:11; Jeremiah 12:4; Job 8:12; Joel 1:12; Jonah 4:7; in simile of shortness of life Psalm 90:6; Psalm 102:12; Psalm 129:6, see also Isaiah 40:7,8 (in these two "" נָבֵל); of heart under figure of grass Psalm 102:5; of Judah under figure of vine Ezekiel 17:9 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 17:10 (3 t. in verse), compare Ezekiel 19:12; of princes under figure of tree Isaiah 40:24; of roots of Ephraim under figure of tree Hosea 9:16, so of roots of wicked Job 18:16. e. of hand, arm, dry up, wither, as judgment from ׳י, 1 Kings 13:4; Zechariah 11:17 (twice in verse); in distress יָבֵשׁ כַּחֶרֶשׁ כֹּחִי Psalm 22:16 my strength is dried up like the potsherd; of skin Lamentations 4:8, and (figurative) of bones Ezekiel 37:11. 2 be dried up: of water Genesis 8:7 (J), Isaiah 19:5; 1 Kings 17:7; Jeremiah 50:38; Joel 1:20; Job 12:15; Job 14:11. Pi`el make dry, dry up, only Imperfect3masculine singular suffix וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ Nahum 1:4 and hath made it dry (׳י, the sea); 3 feminine singular תְּיַבֵּשׁ Job 15:30 the flame shall dry up his branches (figurative of wicked); figurative תְּיַבֶּשׁנָּֿ֑רֶם Proverbs 17:22 a broken spirit maketh dry (the) bones. Hiph`il Perfect3masculine singular הוֺבִישׁ Joshua 2:10 3t. + Joel 1:10 (see below); חֹבִישׁ Ezekiel 19:12 2t. Joel (see below); 3feminine singular הוֺבִישָׁה Joel 1:12 (see below); 2 masculine singular הוֺבַשְׁתָּ Psalm 74:15; 1singular הוֺבַשְׁתִּי Ezekiel 17:24; וְהוֺבַשְׁתִּ֫י Jeremiah 51:36; 3plural וְהֹבִישׁוּ consecutive Zechariah 10:11; Imperfect1singular אוֺבִישׁ Isaiah 42:15 (twice in verse); Isaiah 44:27; — dry up, make dry: 1 dry up water, ׳י subject, Joshua 2:10; Joshua 4:23 (twice in verse); Joshua 5:1 (all D), Jeremiah 51:36 ("" הֶחֱרִיב), Isaiah 42:15; Isaiah 44:27 (חֳרָבִי in "" clause), Psalm 74:15. 2 make dry, wither: herbage, trees, crops, etc., of ׳י, Isaiah 42:15 ("" החריב); object Babylon under figure of tree Ezekiel 17:24; of east wind's drying up Judah's fruit Ezekiel 19:12. 3 exhibit dryness: of river-deeps laid bare Zechariah 10:11. — In like manner might be taken Joel 1:10,12 (twice in verse); Joel 1:17, if from יבשׁ; but the sense would be difficult, especially in Joel 1:10; Joel 1:12, and הֹבִישׁוּ Joel 1:11 must be from בּוֺשׁ, to which all these cases in Joel may be consistently assigned; see בּוֺשׁ. Topical Lexicon Overview of Old Testament Usage Strong’s Hebrew 3001 marks approximately seventy-three occurrences, distributed through Torah, History, Poetry, and Prophets. The root family is employed as verb, adjective, and noun, describing literal dryness of land, watercourses, vegetation, human flesh and bone, and, in extended sense, the spiritual wasteland caused by sin. Its trajectory begins at creation, peaks in redemptive miracles, and culminates in prophetic hopes of reversal and restoration. Creation and Primeval Order At the dawn of history the Lord separates seas and exposes “dry land” (Genesis 1:9-10). Dryness here is not curse but canvas for life, demonstrating that what would later become emblem of judgment is first a gift of order. Covenantal Deliverance on Dry Ground The Exodus narrative repeatedly highlights Israel’s passage “on dry ground” (Exodus 14:16, 22, 29; 15:19). The same pattern reappears at the Jordan (Joshua 3:17; 4:22). Psalm 66:6 extols, “He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.” Dryness becomes the highway of salvation, turning chaos into covenant pathway. Isaiah projects this motif into the future: “The LORD will dry up the tongue of the Sea of Egypt” (Isaiah 11:15); eschatological deliverance echoes the archetypal Exodus. Ecological Judgment upon Sin When covenant faithfulness collapses, creation groans. “The field is ruined… the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, and the oil fails” (Joel 1:10). Amos announces, “The top of Carmel withers” (Amos 1:2). Jeremiah laments, “The land mourns, and the grass of every field withers” (Jeremiah 12:4). Drought, parched vegetation, and withered pastures function as covenant lawsuits, proving that moral rebellion drains life from soil. Human Physiology and Moral Consequences Dryness may strike the body directly. Jeroboam’s outstretched hand “dried up, so that he could not pull it back to himself” (1 Kings 13:4). Zechariah curses the worthless shepherd: “May his arm be completely withered” (Zechariah 11:17). The Psalter uses the image for interior anguish: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd” (Psalm 22:15); “My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass” (Psalm 102:4). Proverbs 17:22 observes, “A broken spirit dries up the bones,” linking spiritual malaise and physical decay. The Fragility of Human Glory Isaiah’s refrain frames the theme: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Yāvēš repudiates autonomous human grandeur; kingdoms, kings, and peoples flourish briefly, then shrivel under divine breath. Prophetic Imagery and Eschatological Hope The prophets move from withering to renewal. Ezekiel 37, though using a cognate verb, relies on the same root idea: desiccated bones spring to life when the Spirit breathes. Hosea promises, “I will be like the dew to Israel” (Hosea 14:5), reversing drought imagery. Ultimate restoration answers every instance of yāvēš. Messianic Foreshadowing Psalm 22’s dried-up strength and thirst anticipate the crucified Messiah who cries, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28). The Servant of Isaiah drinks the cup of wrath so that living water may flow to the nations (compare Isaiah 53 with John 7:37-39). Thus the withering judgment that falls on Him becomes the fountainhead of new creation life. Ritual and Ceremonial Echoes Though not a technical cultic term, dryness surfaces in descriptions of unfit offerings and impaired priests, suggesting that what is withered cannot stand before the Holy One. The Law’s concern for wholeness anticipates the perfect, unwithered sacrifice of Christ. Pastoral and Homiletical Application 1. Expose the reason for spiritual drought: sin blocks the wells. Summary Yāvēš threads through Scripture as both verdict and venue: verdict upon sin, venue for salvation. Dry land hosts Israel’s rescue; withered fields rebuke rebellion; parched hearts cry for redemption. The theme finds its fulfillment in the cross and resurrection, where the Son endures the ultimate drying of life that streams of living water might flow forever. Forms and Transliterations אִיבָֽשׁ׃ אוֹבִ֑ישׁ אוֹבִֽישׁ׃ אוביש אוביש׃ איבש׃ בִּיבֹ֤שׁ ביבש ה֝וֹבַ֗שְׁתָּ הֹבִ֕ישׁוּ הֹבִ֕שׁוּ הֹבִ֖ישָׁה הֹבִ֖ישׁ הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ הֹבִ֥ישָׁה הֹבִ֥ישׁ הֹבַ֨שְׁתָּ הביש הבישה הבישו הבשו הבשת הוֹבִ֔ישָׁה הוֹבִ֣ישׁ הוֹבִ֥ישׁ הוֹבִ֨ישׁ הוֹבִישׁ֩ הוֹבַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ הוביש הובישה הובשת הובשתי וְהֹבִ֕ישׁוּ וְהֹבִ֖ישׁוּ וְהֹבַשְׁתִּ֖י וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ וְיָבֵ֑שׁוּ וְיָבֵ֖שׁ וְיָבֵ֗שׁ וְיָבֵ֛שׁוּ וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃ וְנִשְּׁתוּ־ וַֽיַּבְּשֵׁ֔הוּ וַיִּבַ֣שׁ וַיִּבָ֔שׁוּ וַיִּיבַ֣שׁ וַיִּיבָֽשׁ׃ וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ והבישו והבשתי ויבש ויבש׃ ויבשהו ויבשו וייבש וייבש׃ ונשתו־ ותיבש יְבֹ֥שֶׁת יִבָ֑שׁוּ יִיבַ֥שׁ יִיבָ֑שׁ יִיבָֽשׁ׃ יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ יָֽבְשׁוּ֙ יָב֣וֹשׁ יָבְשָׁ֖ה יָבְשׁ֖וּ יָבְשׁ֧וּ יָבֵ֔שׁ יָבֵ֔שׁוּ יָבֵ֖שׁ יָבֵ֤שׁ יָבֵ֥שׁ יָבֵֽשׁ׃ יָבֹ֔שׁ יבוש יבש יבש׃ יבשה יבשו יבשת ייבש ייבש׃ תְּיַבֵּ֣שׁ תְּיַבֶּשׁ־ תִּיבַ֣שׁ תִּיבָ֔שׁ תִּיבָֽשׁ׃ תיבש תיבש־ תיבש׃ ’î·ḇāš ’îḇāš ’ō·w·ḇîš ’ōwḇîš bî·ḇōš bîḇōš biVosh hō·ḇaš·tā hō·ḇî·šāh hō·ḇi·šū hō·ḇî·šū hō·ḇîš hō·w·ḇaš·tā hō·w·ḇaš·tî hō·w·ḇî·šāh hō·w·ḇîš hōḇaštā hōḇîš hōḇîšāh hōḇišū hōḇîšū hoVashta hoVashti hoVish hoVishah hoVishu hōwḇaštā hōwḇaštî hōwḇîš hōwḇîšāh iVash oVish tə·yab·bêš tə·yab·beš- təyabbêš təyabbeš- teyabBesh tî·ḇaš tî·ḇāš tîḇaš tîḇāš tiVash vaiyabbeShehu vaiyiVash vaiyiVashu vattiVash vehoashTi vehoVishu venishshetu veyaVesh veyaVeshu veyiVashu wat·tî·ḇaš wattîḇaš way·yab·bə·šê·hū way·yi·ḇā·šū way·yi·ḇaš way·yî·ḇaš way·yî·ḇāš wayyabbəšêhū wayyiḇaš wayyîḇaš wayyîḇāš wayyiḇāšū wə·hō·ḇaš·tî wə·hō·ḇî·šū wə·niš·šə·ṯū- wə·yā·ḇê·šū wə·yā·ḇêš wə·yi·ḇā·šū wəhōḇaštî wəhōḇîšū wəniššəṯū- wəyāḇêš wəyāḇêšū wəyiḇāšū yā·ḇə·šāh yā·ḇê·šū yā·ḇə·šū yā·ḇêš yā·ḇō·wōš yā·ḇōš yāḇêš yāḇəšāh yāḇêšū yāḇəšū yāḇōš yāḇōwōš yaVesh yaveShah yaveShu yaVoosh yaVosh yə·ḇō·šeṯ yəḇōšeṯ yeVoshet yi·ḇā·šū yî·ḇaš yî·ḇāš yîḇaš yîḇāš yiḇāšū yiVash yiVashuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 8:7 HEB: וָשׁ֔וֹב עַד־ יְבֹ֥שֶׁת הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֥ל NAS: the water was dried up from the earth. KJV: until the waters were dried up from off the earth. INT: and there until was dried the water from Genesis 8:14 Joshua 2:10 Joshua 4:23 Joshua 4:23 Joshua 5:1 Joshua 9:5 Joshua 9:12 2 Samuel 19:5 1 Kings 13:4 1 Kings 17:7 Job 8:12 Job 12:15 Job 14:11 Job 15:30 Job 18:16 Psalm 22:15 Psalm 74:15 Psalm 90:6 Psalm 102:4 Psalm 102:11 Psalm 129:6 Proverbs 17:22 Isaiah 15:6 Isaiah 19:5 73 Occurrences |
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